Thermal characteristics of double-layer thin film target ablated by femtosecond laser pulses

Thermal characteristics of tightly-contacted copper--gold double-layer thin film target under ablation of femtosecond laser pulses are investigated by using a two-temperature theoretical model. Numerical simulation shows that electron heat flux varies significantly on the boundary of copper--gold film with different maximal electron temperature of 1.15×10³ K at 5 ps after ablating laser pulse in gold and copper films, which can reach a balance around 12.6 ps and 8.2 ps for a single and double pulse ablation, respectively, and in the meantime, the lattice temperature difference crossing the gold--copper interface is only about 0.04×10³ K at the same time scale. It is also found that electron--lattice heat relaxation time increases linearly with laser fluence in both single and double pulse ablation, and a sudden change of the relaxation time appears after the laser energy density exceeds the ablation threshold.     

Theoretical studies of ultrafast ablation of metal targets dominated by phase explosion

Ultrashort pulse laser ablation of metallic targets is investigated theoretically through establishing a modified two-temperature model that takes into account both the temperature dependent electron–lattice coupling and the electron–electron-collision dominated electron diffusion processes for higher electron temperature regime. The electron–lattice energy coupling rate is found to reduce only slowly with increasing pulse duration, but grow rapidly with laser fluence, implying that the melting time of metallic materials decreases as the laser intensity increases. By taking phase explosion as the primary ablation mechanism, the predicted dependences of ablation rates on laser energy fluences for different laser pulse widths match very well with the experimental data. It is also found that during phase explosion the ablation rate is almost independent of the pulse width, whereas the ablation threshold fluence increases with the pulse duration even for femtosecond pulses. These theoretical results should be useful in having proper understanding of the ablation physics of ultrafast micromachining of metal targets. PACS 52.50.Jm; 61.80.Az; 72.15.Cz; 79.20.Ap; 79.20.Ds     

光学性质对超快激光辐照下铜膜热响应的影响

在超快激光照射过程中,金属靶材的光学性质是动态变化的。采用双温模型与分子动力学结合法,考虑动态和常数光学性质两种情况,对不同脉宽的超快激光照射下铜薄膜的热响应进行了模拟研究。其中,常数光学性质包括由激光沉积能量相等计算得到的等效平均反射率和室温下的吸收系数。结果表明:两种情况下的电子温度和晶格温度均差别较小,尤其是脉宽远小于电子-晶格弛豫时间的飞秒激光; 而当激光脉宽相当于或大于电子-晶格弛豫时间时,如皮秒激光,光学性质的动态变化对材料的熔化和重凝的影响则比较明显。     

Ultrafast solid–liquid–vapor phase change of a gold film induced by pico- to femtosecond lasers

Melting, vaporization and resolidification processes of thin gold film irradiated by a femtosecond pulse laser are studied numerically. The nonequilibrium heat transfer in electrons and lattice is described using a two-temperature model. The solid–liquid interfacial velocity, as well as elevated melting temperature and depressed solidification temperature, is obtained by considering the interfacial energy balance and nucleation dynamics. An iterative procedure based on energy balance and gas kinetics law to track the location of liquid–vapor interface is utilized to obtain the material removal by vaporization. The effect of surface heat loss by thermal radiation was discussed. The influences of laser fluence and duration on the evaporation process are studied. Results show that higher laser fluence and shorter laser pulse width lead to higher interfacial temperature, deeper melting and ablation depths.     

Melting and resolidification of gold film irradiated by nano- to femtosecond lasers

Rapid melting and resolidification of a free-standing gold film subject to nano- to femtosecond laser pulses are investigated using the two-temperature model in conjunction with an interfacial tracking method. The interfacial velocity, as well as elevated melting temperature and depressed solidification temperature, in the ultra-fast phase-change process are obtained by considering the interfacial energy balance and nucleation dynamics. A nonlinear electron heat capacity and a temperature-dependent electron–lattice coupling factor for the rapid phase change are taken into account. Effects of laser pulse width and fluence on melting and resolidification are also studied. PACS 42.62.Eh; 63.20.Kr; 64.70.Dv     

飞秒双脉冲激光照射金属薄膜的热行为

通过双温方程对飞秒单脉冲与双脉冲照射金薄膜进行了计算模拟分析,得到了金靶的电子温度和晶格温度随着时间空间的变化。在同样激光能量密度下,单脉冲与双脉冲使得金膜温度的变化表明双脉冲使得更多的激光能量渗透到靶材内部,这些能量可以使得烧蚀深度更深,有利于提高激光烧蚀靶材的效率。计算结果显示随着激光能量密度的增加熔化面深度逐渐增加,单脉冲与双脉冲熔化面深度的变化明显不同。在激光能量密度高于损伤阈值附近,单脉冲的烧蚀深度大于双脉冲的烧蚀深度,随着激光能量密度增加,双脉冲的烧蚀深度将大于单脉冲的烧蚀深度。     

飞秒激光脉冲与金属光阴极相互作用

本文从理论上分析了飞秒激光与光阴极相互作用过程，采用双温模型分析了飞秒激光脉冲辐照下金属薄膜的温度效应。通过建立一个简单的光电效应模型，获得了最佳的金属光阴极厚度，通过该模型可以发现，产生的光电流对在飞秒激光脉冲辐照下的电子温度和晶格温度有着很大的依赖关系。     

热物性参量对飞秒激光烧蚀金属影响的分子动力学模拟

利用结合双温模型的分子动力学模拟方法,研究了飞秒激光与金属相互作用的烧蚀机制.采用中心波长为800 nm,能量密度从0.043 J·cm~(-2)到0.40 J·cm~(-2)不等,脉宽分别为70 fs和200 fs的激光烧蚀金属镍和铝材料.靶材的温度、原子位型以及内部压力随时间的演化展示了材料热物性参量特性和激光参量对烧蚀结果的影响.结果显示材料电子热传导率对飞秒脉宽激光下的影响仍然较大;对比铝和镍的结果可知,铝的电子晶格耦合系数比镍的小,故电子晶格间的温度梯度持续时间较长;铝的电子热传导系数比镍的大,所以材料上下表面电子温度耦合的时间缩短.铝薄膜表面在能量密度为0.40 J·cm~(-2)激光烧蚀下呈现纳米尺寸的晶体结构.     

Emission enhancement ratio of the metal irradiated by femtosecond double-pulse laser

A numerical solution of the two-temperature model has been performed up to the double-pulse femtosecond laser heated metal target. The two-temperature model is used to analyze the double-pulse laser with the following major conclusions. We confirm the distinctly different results on the single pulse and double pulse. The double-pulse laser heated lattice temperature is higher than the single pulse. Through the Boltzmann equation, we estimate the variation of the emission enhancement. At the same time, this experimental result is qualitatively similar to the theoretical result.     

Thermal analysis of intense femtosecond laser ablation of aluminum

This paper numerically simulates the process of ablation of an aluminum target by an intense femtosecond laser with a fluence of 40 J/cm 2 based on the two-temperature equation,and obtains the evolution of the free electron temperature and lattice temperature over a large temporal and depth range,for the first time. By investigating the temporal evolution curves of the free electron temperature and lattice temperature at three representative depths of 0,100 nm and 500 nm,it reveals different characteristics and mechanisms of the free electron temperature evolution at different depths. The results show that,in the intense femtosecond laser ablation of aluminum,the material ablation is mainly induced by the thermal conduction of free electrons,instead of the direct absorption of the laser energy; in addition,the thermal conduction of free electrons and the coupling effect between electrons and lattice will induce the temperature of free electrons deep inside the target to experience a process from increase to decrease and finally to increase again.     

Thermal behavior of thin metal films irradiated by shaped femtosecond pulse sequences laser

A numerical solution of the two-temperature model has been performed up to the shaped femtosecond pulse sequences heated metal target. The two-temperature model is used to analyze the shaped femtosecond pulse sequences with the following major conclusions. We confirm the distinctly different results on the different shaped femtosecond pulse sequences. As the number of shaped femtosecond pulses increases, the nonequilibrium state between electrons and phonons gradually disappears, the highest transient electron temperature is lowered and the thermolization time is prolonged, the electron heat conductivity remains higher because of the effect of incubation on the electron temperature, which preserves the advantages of ultrashort lasers. The shaped femtosecond pulse sequences can increase the efficiency in ablation and micromachining.     

数值模拟飞秒激光加热金属的热电子发射

研究了超短超强激光脉冲与薄膜靶相互作用中产生的电子热发射.当超短激光脉冲与薄膜靶相互作用时,首先入射超短脉冲激光对吸收深度内的自由电子进行热激发,接下来热激发电子将能量传递到附近的晶格,再通过电子和晶格二体系的热传导,以及电子晶格间的热耦合,将能量传递到材料的内部.因此,电子在皮秒级甚至更短的时间内不能与晶格进行能量耦合,使电子温度超出晶格温度很多,电子热发射就变得非常明显了.用双温方程联合Richardson-Dushman方程的方法对飞秒脉冲激光照射金属靶的电子热发射进行了研究,结果发现电子热发射对飞     

Heating process and damage threshold analysis of Au film coated on Cu substrate for femtosecond laser

The heating processes of a two-layer film assembly of Au padded with Cu irradiated by femtosecond laser pulse are studied using a two-temperature model. It is found that the chosen substantially influence the energy transport, and consequently the temperature variation, and thermal equilibrium time. At the same laser fluence, the different thickness of gold film leads to a change of gold surface temperature. By choosing the thickness of the gold layer in the two-layer film assemblies, the damage threshold of the gold film can be maximized. The results can be used to optimize the damage threshold of gold coating optical components.     

Effects of laser pulse heating of copper photocathodes on high-brightness electron beam production at blowout regime

Producing high-brightness and high-charge(100 pC) electron bunches at blowout regime requires ultrashort laser pulses with high fluence. The effects of laser pulse heating of the copper photocathode are analyzed in this paper. The electron and lattice temperature is calculated using an improved two-temperature model, and an extended Dowell-Schmerge model is employed to calculate the thermal emittance and quantum efficiency. A timedependent growth of the thermal emittance and the quantum efficiency is observed. For a fixed amount of charge,the projected thermal emittance increases with decreasing laser radius, and this effect should be taken into account in laser optimization at blowout regime. Moreover, laser damage threshold fluence is simulated, showing that the maximum local fluence should be less than 40 mJ/cm~2 to prevent damage to the cathode.     

Study of femtosecond ablation on aluminum film with 3D two-temperature model and experimental verifications

In this paper, a 3D two-temperature model is introduced to investigate femtosecond ablation on aluminum film. 3D temperature evolutions for both electrons and lattice are obtained, which present us a vivid view of the energy transformation process during femtosecond ablation. Simulated 3D ablation craters irradiated by a single pulse with different energy are acquired, from which we can easily and precisely predict crater depth and radius before ablation takes place. In the experiment we measure the radii of the craters ablated by pulses with different energy and numbers delivered from a chirped pulse amplification Ti: sapphire system. The threshold fluence for both single and multi pulses are obtained. Comparisons are made between results of the experiment and relative simulated calculations show the reliability of our proposed calculation model.     

基于飞秒瞬态反射/透射技术的纳米Au半透膜热效应研究

以飞秒激光放大器作为光源联合使用瞬态反射/透射实验技术研究了纳米Au半透明纳米薄膜中非平衡载能粒子的热传导过程. 在相同实验条件下, 发现该薄膜的瞬态透射和反射信号明显不同并且延迟时间在5.0–7.5 ps时瞬态透射信号的符号发生改变. 对纳米薄膜的透射和反射信号进行了对比分析, 分别使用双温模型和Crude近似进行数据模拟并拟合, 分析认为沿膜厚方向的温度梯度变化和界面热阻效应引起介电函数的变化不同, 从而引起了瞬态透射信号和反射信号的不同. 对于半透明金属纳米薄膜需要同时考虑其瞬态透射和反射影响才能得到准确的瞬态吸收结果. 随着抽运脉冲能量的增加, 可以看到上升时间约为1.0 ps, 电子-晶格弛豫时间增加.     

紧聚焦飞秒脉冲与石英玻璃相互作用过程中的电子动量弛豫时间研究

本文通过数值模拟(3+1)维扩展的广义非线性薛定谔方程,研究了紧聚焦飞秒激光脉冲在诱导石英玻璃的非线性电离过程中电子动量弛豫时间对于该电离过程的影响.计算结果证明电子动量弛豫时间会直接影响入射脉冲在焦点区域所形成的峰值场强、自由电子态密度和能流等参量的分布态势,因此在与实验结果相比较后发现适合于相互作用过程的电子动量弛豫时间的理论值约为1.27 fs.进一步的研究表明,电子动量弛豫时间与逆韧致吸收效应、雪崩电离的概率、等离子体密度、等离子体的自散焦效果以及间接引起的焦平面位置的移动都有着密切的联系.当前的研究结果表明电子动量弛豫时间在飞秒激光脉冲与物质相互作用的过程中发挥着重要作用.     

飞秒激光固体靶相互作用中超热电子的输运特性

 实验研究了在100 TW掺钛宝石超短超强脉冲激光装置上完成的飞秒激光-固体靶相互作用中超热电子的输运特性,获得了超热电子的能谱、产额、注量及超热电子在靶内输运能量沉积范围。测量结果表明:超热电子的注量和总能量随靶厚度的增加而减少,超热电子约80％的能量主要沉积在靶内的前约一个激光脉冲宽度的范围内,且能量沉积范围随激光脉冲宽度的增加而增加,这主要是静电场的影响所致。